Hidden Feelings
by fic-philic'chick
Summary: One-shot peak into Stefan's thoughts as he realizes he has always cared for Bonnie. Set during Season 4.


**AN- Okay so I know I have no business posting another story with two in the works but this idea just hit me out of nowhere and I needed to post. This little one-shot is based in Season 4 and it's a peak into Stefan's thoughts and his hidden feelings for Bonnie. Of course for the purpose of this piece the goodbye between Bonnie and Jeremy never happened. Thanks for reading!**

He's there to ask for her help.

Deep down though he just wants to see her and see how she's doing. She would never admit that she was anything other than fine and he decides once she comes to the door that he could get her to talk if he approaches her as he normally would.

His words stop in their tracks when he sees her however. Immediately he wants to touch her, hold her, _something_ but he can't break through the invisible barrier no matter how badly he wants to. She has to _want_ him in there.

He asks her gently hoping just this once she will forget about him being a vampire and only think of him as a friend "May I come in please?"

When she nods yes he wastes no time pulling her into his arms tightly. These were not the circumstances he would have wanted to do that but he would take it.

Later he tries to make sense of his inner thoughts as he smiles down at his clothes. Her scent has clung to both his jacket and shirt.

Somewhere between having her in his arms, hugging her goodbye and driving home he realizes his new found feelings weren't so new. They had always been there and he wonders if it took so long for him to realize this, how long would it take for him to tell her?

* * *

He's so angry when he grabs the doppelganger he fears he could actually strangle her. She could actually make peace with killing her best friend if it meant killing her counterpart. The thought makes him angrier and he's glad for her sake when she decides to let Katherine go.

He snarls when the bitch in question gives him a 'thanks' that was true to her nature and he lets her know immediately it wasn't for her. His concern is only for his witch and he rushes back to her side needing to see for himself that she was okay.

As she struggles to get up he helps her holding firmly to the soft curves of her waste to give her support. He can't help himself when she's that close and touches a hand to her cheek asking for the second time if she was alright.

It surprises him when she leans into his touch and smiles "I'm fine, thanks again"

Neither one of them says anything else but it strikes him that she hasn't moved out of his touch. He should tell her now his mind insists but it just wasn't the time. He decides instead that it can wait until the latest battle is over.

He _hopes_ it will be soon.

* * *

The world stops spinning when Silas alludes to her death. He had seen her earlier and she was fine. She had to be.

It hits him like a freight train when the pieces his own doppelganger has laid out form together; why she never put the veil back up or why she was so emotional earlier.

As he doubles over the stake in his gut he thinks of her face. The face he's dreamt about for so long; her beautiful face.

Water soon fills his lungs and out of human instinct he struggles and gasps for air though he doesn't need it. He pounds against the metal but knows in his heart that it's futile. She's gone and he never told her how he felt.

She watched from the shore not bothering to fight the tears filling her eyes. Lexi has already beat her to crying and Ric has perched himself on a log closing his eyes when he hears his friend's screams.

There's nothing they can do for him but the witch decides he will not go through this alone. In a second she's in the half filled box with him touching a hand to his heart and he feels it. He swears he feels a warmth that could only come from her.

"Bonnie?!" he shouts desperately wishing to hear her voice answer.

"I'm here Stefan" the witch whispers softly

Though he doesn't hear it, he feels her and knows she's with him. He welcomes death now, taking the stake he was so graciously left with.

"Stefan don't"

His eyes close and in an instant he ends his undead torture. When his eyes open he's still lying in the watery tomb but now he can see her. She's right beside him as plain as day and she's crying for him.

"Why?" she asks and she's so cute when she cries he finds himself smiling

He takes her hand in his and the moment their spirits leave the box to join Lexi and Ric on shore he pulls her close and kisses her long and hard. He releases her lips only to whisper "Because there's no life without you in it"

As he reclaims her lips with his he thinks with a smile _better late than never_.

**Reviews always make my day, reviews welcome!**


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